False ceilings are commonly found in commercial and industrial structures. They are particularly useful in that utilitarian structures such as conduits, brackets, fixtures and the like can be recessed therein but continue to be readily accessible. False ceilings also provide an enhanced aesthetic appearance since all of the necessary utilitarian structures are out of sight in the space between the false or drop ceiling and the true ceiling of the region.
In some instances, fire codes require that sensors be installed in any separate ambient. Regions with a false ceiling constitute two different ambients which may need to be monitored. Hence, not only must ambient condition detectors be mounted on false ceilings, they must also be mounted in the utilitarian region above the false ceiling.
Such recessed or hidden detectors can be inconvenient, expensive, and can create maintenance problems. While such recessed detectors can be readily installed before the false ceilings are installed, they must be readily available after the fact for inspection. A known solution to the problem is to provide an inspection trap door which can also be inconvenient and not cost effective.
There is a continuing need, as a result, for structures or methods which make it possible to readily install and inspect detectors in limited access regions, for example, above false ceilings, in a way which is both cost effective and in accordance with the desired aesthetics of the region. It would also be desirable that such devices and methods do not substantially affect the cost of the associated detectors.